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In this fifth installment of "The Men and Guns of the Pacific," the ARTV crew heads to Iwo Jima. When U.S. forces sought to capture an advanced airfield where shorter-range American fighters could be based, Iwo Jima was the only island that made sense, and it was only eight square miles long. The Battle of Iwo Jima lasted 36 gruesome days with more than 6,800 Americans paying the ultimate sacrifice. It is also a significant point in Marine Corps history. Now, Americans are only allowed on the island of Iwo Jima one day a year, and ARTV got the chance to be there on that one day. Check out this segmentfrom a recent episode ofAmerican Rifleman TV to learn more about the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Among the machine guns used by all the powers involved in World War I, the Austrian Schwarzlose is often forgotten. But this simple, reliable arm saw service for more than 20 years across two world wars.
For the Union Army during the American Civil War, its officers and cavalry troopers relied on one of Colt's most notable firearms: the 1860 Army revolver.